Day one post surgery

19Oct

Well, I did it. I had my surgery.

Tasha and I arrived at the surgical clinic yesterday morning at about 10:45. My mom met us there, and we waited to be called in.

The first order of business after being called was to get the paperwork out of the way. I was informed that my portion of the medical expenses would be about $1,600, and I agreed to a payment schedule of about $115 a month for the next 12 months to pay it off. Expensive, but it’s surgery, and thankfully my insurance covered 80% of the original >$8,000 bill.

Once the paperwork was out of the way, the three of us went into my waiting room, where I changed into a gown, laid down on the bed, and got prepped for the surgery. My nurse went over medical history with me, checked my temperature and blood pressure, and fitted me with an IV in the back of my left hand. I also met the anesthesiologist, who explained the putting-under process, as well as the nurse who would be assisting Dr. Litton, who performed the actual surgery.

The doctor was a little bit late getting in, but it wasn’t a terrible wait. Once he arrived, we were ready to go, and they injected a drug into my IV that, within maybe 30 seconds, had me quite loopy. =P I remember it hitting very fast, surprisingly so, and that I was glad I was lying down. They then wheeled me into the operating room, wherein I remember seeing very large lights connected to the ceiling. They put a mask over my face, and asked me to breathe deeply. I did as asked, and…

…then I woke up in the recovery room. I didn’t experience any disorientation during the waking process (or if I did, I don’t remember it at all). I felt a little sore in my left side, of course, but it wasn’t bad – the local anesthetic was still blocking most of the sensation (thankfully). Shortly after I awoke, my nurse gave me a shot of Morphine through my IV, to which I had a minor allergic reaction: the injection itself hurt a good bit, and my arm began to itch. It was bearable, but very annoying, and she gave me a shot of anti-allergy medication, which cleared up the itch. That was the first time I’d ever had Morphine, and she told me to mention that reaction to medical staff in the future.

After a short while, I was ready to go. They wheeled me out and helped me into my car, and Tasha took me to my mom’s house, where I’ll be staying for the week until I’m feeling better.

Recovery is painful, by the way. =X They gave me Hydrocodone for pain, which I’ve been taking. It helps, but the soreness almost never goes away. The most comfortable position I’ve found has been lying on my back in my mom’s recliner, with my left leg held up a little bit. Standing and walking is very difficult, especially when my meds wear off. I woke up this morning at 3am and needed to get my meds; I broke out in a sweat from the pain.

The only other issue I’ve had from this so far has been difficulty peeing. =X I think it was the local anesthetic that was the problem – I couldn’t relax those muscles, so I had to concentrate, hold my breath, and push until I started peeing. Very painful – but this morning I didn’t have to push at all.

Other than that, I’m doing okay. My meds don’t make me too loopy – I wouldn’t want to drive like this – but I’m going to spend as much time as I can resting and getting better. Thank you to everyone who’s wished me well – I really appreciate the thoughts, it means a lot to me. =)

About Me

I'm a 33 year old programmer, writer, father of three, and amateur astronomer, philosopher, and physicist. I love the clear night sky, and I love sharing its wonders with anyone who wants to hear of them!